LOOKING TO RECLAIM THE TITLE

Oceanside expects to return this year
as CIF champion

Oceanside 
Entering last season, the Oceanside football program owned Helix and the San Diego Section. The Pirates had ended the Highlanders’ season in five of the seven years leading up to 2011, and had a won an section-record seven consecutive CIF Division II titles.

It’s remarkable how easily one defeat can blemish all that.

After dropping their opener at Eastlake, the Helix Highlanders rolled through their next 11 games, outscoring opponents 583-102. The apex came in the Division II championship game at Qualcomm Stadium, where Helix steamrolled Oceanside, 44-6.

Everyone is wondering if the Highlanders have gotten past their demons, and will start a run of their own. Everyone except the Oceanside Pirates themselves.

“The mindset didn’t change, and it doesn’t change. It’s about maximizing the current potential and taking the ability that we’re given and making it better,” longtime Pirates’ head coach John Carroll said. Our expectations are to win championships, but every team is different. It’s not like we’re on a mission to prove ourselves this season.”

One player who seemingly has a lot to prove this season is Pirates’ senior quarterback Tofi Paopao. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound signal-caller won a CIF championship as the starting quarterback as a sophomore, but didn’t take the step forward some would have hoped during his junior season.

“I’m not going to dwell on his (Paopao’s) junior season. Since then, I’ve seen a guy that’s increased his foot speed, his athleticism and his arm speed,” Carroll said. “If you put that all together, he’s the real deal.”

As for the Oceanside quarterback himself, Paopao is quick to remind his critics that the Pirates’ offense was unusually inexperienced last season. Paopao praised his offensive linemen, his receivers and his defense, saying that everyone is playing at a different pace this season.

“We were young; that’s what happened,” Paopao said. “My sophomore year, I had top senior receivers coming back from a state championship team. Last season, I had a young crew, and I was young, too. It should be a big step forward for us. It’s all coming together now.”

Carroll has no doubt about the quarterback who will show up this season.

“He’s going to wind up impressing people,” Carroll said. “Everyone that came out and watched spring ball was impressed. He will shine.”

This year, impressing people will likely have to come in the form of avenging last season’s loss to Helix and starting a new streak. While Paopao downplayed any animosity toward Oceanside’s main rival, he clearly has ambitions of his own for the 2012 season.

“I got love for them (Helix), but at the same time, we can be friends off the field, but when the lights are on, when the cameras are on, it’s a whole other level, and everyone turns it up a notch,” Paopao said. “What we talk about, is getting back to CIF. With our talent, we have a legitimate shot of going to state.”